This (Tuesday) was supposed to be the day for the 306 km task to Hay from Forbes
if the winds did come out of the northeast, but they didn't. It was light and
variable so the task committee called a 177 km out and return to the north
northwest, following a paved road all the way.
Like Monday Tuesday is for the most part a blue day, but we do get some very
helpful wispy cu's that mark the strongest thermals. No one is in a big hurry to
launch with only a 10 km start circle (chosen to be so small because there is no
wind) and without clouds we are not sure yet of the lift conditions.
I finally get in line and launch fifty minutes before the start gate opens at
2:15 PM for the top thirty pilots. They are required to go then. Other pilot
have more choices.
I climb out to 5,300' AGL in moderate lift with little turbulence and head to
the northwestern edge of the start circle. Luckily there is a thermal near the
edge and forty or fifty pilots are in it as we wait for the start gate to open.
We are all at about 6,000' AGL when 2:15 PM rolls around so almost every one has
a good start and we are off to the races to the north.
There are lift markers (hang gliders) every where, and lift every where and it
averages between 400 and 500 fpm. We head for a treed ridgeline to our left and
just ride way over the top of it toward the turnpoint for 10-20 km catching lift
as we go.
The gaggle is forty pilots or so and it is hard to break away from them. There
are pilots every where and it's a race so you've got to get ahead of these guys,
but they catch you when you go out in front.
I'm with eleven pilots half way to the turnpoint. There are two pilots lower off
to my left and the rest of the pilots higher to my right. I see the lowest pilot
on my left hit something and start turning. I head toward him then see a pilot
above me to the right and closer turning also. I switch back to the right, but
half way to the pilot I see Oleg heading to the left to the pilots I was heading
for at first. I switch again as everyone on my right has headed to the left and
sure enough that thermal is 600+ fpm. Now I'm on the bottom, with thirty pilots
over me.
We head for the turnpoint and I've now got a lot of little thermal markers in
front of me, so it's not too bad. When I make the turn at the turnpoint I shade
to the left as the guys out in front are not doing so well on the right hand
side, getting low. I join a pilot climbing at 350 fpm, pretty slow but better
than the other guys.
Then they hit a good one and I rejoin the gaggle in 700+ fpm to 7,300' AGL. We
are racing hard and fast. My arms are hurting from all the VG pulling. We climb
hard and glide hard. All your competitors are around you and the lift is strong.
I leave the thermal as soon as it grows weak (although the guys on top are
holding back to keep their advantage).
I try to shake the gaggle again, not bothering to stop in a thermal and chasing
down some lower guys in front who are thermaling. Still the gaggle catches me.
Then I do it again and this time the gaggle breaks up as I head right to some
lower pilots thermaling and most of the gaggle stays in the weaker lift behind.
Finally a chance to get away.
I race for the ridge line spotting three pilots much lower than me all heading
that way also. We find good lift at 500 fpm and I race back down the ridge line.
Off to my left and in front of me I spot some pilots low circling. I come in
over the first one and it's 700 fpm up. I'm only 20 km from goal now, on top of
the last thermal, I can't see anyone ahead of me and all the gaggle that I left
behind is coming in low underneath me. I've got Robert Reisinger and Minoru Kato
just below me.
I'm going up so fast the 5030 says stay in the thermal as you can pull in and
get to goal faster. I pull out at 9:1 to goal with goal made by 3,500'. Now it's
time to pull the bar in as much as I can and race to goal. I hit 55 mph and
sustain 53 mph. Still Robert and Minoru catch me as I can't quite control the
glider at these speeds.
As I get close to goal I see a pilot land then a couple more but still manage to
get in seventh.
Gerolf was first in by six minutes over Jonny and nine over me. Robert Reisinger
was just behind me and is now in second place 11 points behind Jonny.
